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MSJC COVID-19 Updates | 3-31-2020 6:48 PM

Sent 03/31/2020

Dear Students,

We're less than a week away from resuming our spring semester. More than 99 percent of classes are moving online the week of April 6, thanks to the hard work and extra efforts of MSJC faculty and staff. The list of courses that will not transition to online is posted on the district website.

We know some of you still have questions, so please check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) online at msjc.edu/coronavirus, which we will continue to update. The most recent addition to the FAQs are below (also posted to the website link above) and respond to many of the questions we've received over the past several days to the covid19@msjc.edu email. 

 

Online Transition FAQs

What courses have been cancelled or suspended?

SUSPEND:

  • LNSK 051—Learning Disabilities Workshop
  • MUS 210/211—Jazz Ensemble
  • NURS 084A—Nursing Skills Lab—Certified Nursing Assistant
  • NURS 085—Certified Nursing Assistant

CANCEL:

  • GEOL 107 – Field Trips in Geology
  • ART 002X - Ceramics

 

NON-CREDIT CLASSES will resume instruction on April 20th and run an additional two weeks after the end of the term.

 

What does it mean if my class is suspended?

If your class was listed as suspended on the Online Course Transition List provided by the College, your class will pause until a date in the future when conditions related to Covid-19 have improved. For those courses marked "Suspend," students can expect to hear from their instructors regarding a completion plan for the course. Students will be issued an "In Progress" (IP) grade symbol, but will be assigned a grade upon completion. The IP grade does not affect students' grade point average.

 

What does it mean if my class is cancelled?

If your class was listed as cancelled on the Online Course Transition List provided by the College, your class will not resume on April 6, 2020 and the class will be cancelled. We encourage you to enroll in an equivalent class in a future semester to complete the class. If you are in one of the two classes identified above as cancelled you will receive a refund. The ART 002X course will receive a refund of $12.50 for the supplies.

 

If my class is not listed as cancelled or suspended, what does that mean?

If your class is not listed as cancelled or suspended it means that your course has been successfully transitioned online and will re-start on Monday, April 6, 2020. Please continue to check your email as your faculty member will be communicating with you soon.

 

Where will I “take class”?

You’ll continue your class in the learning management system called Canvas. It’s a self-contained system where your instructors can post course materials, assignments, and announcements. You can also submit your assignments and communicate with your instructor in Canvas.

 

Do I need to log in to Canvas during the same times and days my class normally meets?

You should stay in contact with your instructor for information on how each individual class will run. Some courses will maintain regular start and end times, others will have a more open schedule that only requires that class activities be completed by certain deadlines.

We do recommend that you login to your course in Canvas at least once a day, if possible, to check for announcements or updates from your instructor. Also, make sure to set your Communication Preferences in Canvas so that announcements or messages from your instructor will be sent to your email. 

The manner in which office hours are held for your class may change. Instructors may hold the same office hours as posted on their syllabus using a tool called ConferZoom. See the ConferZoom guide to learn how to access office hours) Office hours may also be handled through email and other means asynchronously, meaning the student and instructor communicate at different times from one another.  

 

Who do I contact if I need help or have questions about my class?

If you have questions about your class and how to participate in it using Canvas, please contact your instructor who can provide this information. Your instructor’s contact information will be on your course syllabus. If you need help learning how to use Canvas, watch the Student Canvas Overview or “how to” Video Guides. For Technical Support, contact the 24/7 Canvas Student Hotline: (844) 303-4497

 

Do you have any other tips for succeeding in online classes?

Students are encouraged to follow these four tips to be successful when learning online.

  • Log into your course ahead of time to review the learning objectives and any assignments. Assess the workload for the week and put the due dates on your calendar. Having a mental picture of what's ahead is the best thing you can do to prepare each week
  • Aim to have all of your assignments done prior to the due date. Why? Because life happens and when you wait until the last minute, you're more likely to have problems meeting the due date.
  • If you identify a challenge with meeting a due date, contact your instructor right away. Instructors are more willing to be flexible when contacted in advance of a due date. · Use the Canvas To-Do List and Calendar to track and stay current on your assignments. They are so helpful.

 

Can I withdraw from my class?

While we had hoped for you to be able to complete your course, we understand that the COVID-19 pandemic may create circumstances where you are unable to finish your course this semester online. A student may receive an excused withdrawal (EW) due to the extraordinary conditions that will not affect your academic progress, academic probation, or your ability to repeat a course. The EW will not penalize you academically and is not counted in progress probation or dismissal calculations towards the permitted number of withdrawals.

Should you wish to withdraw from your course, we ask that you please complete the withdrawal process in Self Service. No additional paperwork or petition is required to withdraw or receive a refund.

 

As a student, please be aware of the following:

  1. If a student drops to zero units, there will be a Financial Aid impact in that, at this point, they may have to pay back funds.
  2. If a student is planning to transfer in fall 2020, they should make an appointment to see a counselor to discuss the decision prior to dropping.

 

What is an “Excused Withdrawal”?

Excused Withdrawals (EW) are designed for unanticipated emergencies and are not counted against a student for academic standing or enrollment attempts; however, for Financial Aid purposes, there may be an impact. Unless new legislation is passed by Congress, students may have to pay funds back to the federal government.

 

COMPUTER/TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT & RESOURCES

Canvas

 

ConferZoom

Your instructor may hold office hours or other meetings using an online meeting platform called ConferZoom which is already integrated into your Canvas course. 

 

What if I need to access tutoring support? 

Please know that we not only have online tutoring support through NetTutor but we have also transitioned all of our Learning Resource Centers online as well. This means that you will be able to request remote tutoring services from our team of peer student tutors. Please continue to check your email and the website for updates regarding these services.

 

What if I need to access Library support?

The college offers 24/7 library services to support you with your remote coursework. Please check the MSJC Library website for more information. 

 

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

How do I access student support services online?

Just as we have been working to move as many classes as possible to an online platform, MSJC has been working to transition all student support services online as well. We anticipate publishing a Student Support HUB which will feature information on how to access critical student support services. Within this Student Support HUB students will be able to (1) schedule online appointments with counselors and others units, (2) access email and phone contact information, and (3) securely submit confidential documents to each department. This Student Support HUB will be available on April 6, 2020.

 

Is Graduation/Commencement still being held?

Due to the Covid-19 social distancing orders, we plan to transition to a virtual Graduation. Further details will be shared in the coming weeks so please continue to check your emails and the website for updates.

 

COUNSELING 

How can I make an appointment with an online counselor? 

MSJC will be offering online counseling services through Cranium Cafe. Please be sure to use FireFox or Chrome as you will not be able to connect using Internet Explorer.

 

How can I access Mental Health Counseling appointments online?

Mental Health Counseling is available online through appointments only. Please access the appointment calendar through the Student Health Portal.

 

FINANCIAL AID

What about my Financial Aid disbursement, will it be processed, and will I still receive my funds? 

Yes. Although instruction is transitioning to an online environment, it is important for students to understand that they must continue to meet eligibility requirements and maintain appropriate enrollment status.

If your financial aid file is completed and awarded by the deadline your funds will be dispersed to you by the method you enrolled in. More information on Financial Aid Disbursement Schedule and Important Dates are available by clicking here: msjc.edu/financialaid/disbursement.html 

 

What if I need to submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Petition, will the deadline be extended?

Yes. If financial aid was suspended and you were planning to submit an SAP Petition, the deadline has been extended to May 8, 2020. What if I have additional Financial Aid questions? Most questions can be found on the Financial Aid website. You can send specific questions to finaid@msj.edu - Please allow 24-48 hours for a response.

 

FEDERAL WORK STUDY STUDENTS

Are Federal Work Study Students being paid?

The Financial Aid Office has been approved to continue to pay federal work-study students during the college COVID-19 closure. We will be paying federal work-study students for regularly scheduled hours. If you were scheduled to work anytime during the closure, you will be compensated for any hours you would have worked, not to exceed your FWS allocation. 

We are working closely with your supervisors and payroll to ensure there is no disruption to your pay. At this time, there is nothing further needed from you. Payroll will continue as usual for the payment period that ends April 5th. This process will continue until the last day of instruction, May 13, 2020. If you do not have direct deposit, a check will be mailed to the address on file with the college.

 

Pay Periods and Pay Days: The Student Employment pay period runs from the 6th of one month through the 5th of the following month. Students are paid by check or direct deposit from the Payroll Office on the 20th of every month. 

 

You can email additional questions to finaid@msjc.edu   

 

ENROLLMENT SERVICES

Will my transcripts continue to be transmitted to other colleges and universities if my goal is to transfer?

Yes, there should be no disruption to transcript requests or deliveries during this health crisis. We are ensuring that staff, either working on campus or from their homes, will continue to provide essential services. There may be slight delays during the first several weeks of transitioning to work off-site, but transcripts will continue to be sent upon request.

 

Are there any adjustments to summer 2020 registration appointments?

Due to the Covid-19 disruptions, we have pushed back our summer registration appointments. Appointments will be available for students to view in EagleAdvisor on April 6, 2020. Registration for the summer 2020 term will begin on April 20, 2020.

 

What will the summer 2020 term look like in terms of class offerings?

The summer 2020 term will be fully online. Very few, if any, courses will be offered face-to-face.

 

VETERANS SERVICES

What do I need to know if I’m a veteran with GI Bill Benefits?

The Senate and House passed S.3503 and the bill is headed to President Trump for signature. The bill will give the VA authority to continue GI Bill payments uninterrupted in the event of national emergencies. The new law allows the VA to pay education benefits regardless of the fact if a program has moved from the classroom to online. Also, students will continue to receive the same monthly housing allowance payments until December 21, 2020, or until their school resumes normal operations. If you have questions about your specific circumstance(s), please reach out to your Veterans Resource Center for guidance or contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Education Call Center at: 1-888-442-4551 between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday-Friday.

As always, if you have further questions or inquiries that we did not answer in the FAQs, please email COVID19@msjc.edu.

Stay healthy and be safe,

Roger 

Dr. Roger Schultz
Superintendent/President
Mt. San Jacinto College

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